Ham & Peas Pasta Salad
Ham & Peas Pasta Salad is a vintage recipe that’s been around forever and is once again popular. It’s the perfect potluck pasta salad, but it’s also a great side dish, easy lunch, or even a main meal. It’s super easy to make and is filled with familiar flavors so everyone always loves it. It is so delicious and easy to make, and this recipe is a keeper!
I grew up eating this salad because it was one of my Mother’s favorites. She got the recipe from her church cookbook, and while I’ve tweaked it some over the years, it really isn’t that much different than it was decades ago.
Ham & Peas Pasta Salad
This is a hearty and pretty salad, and the flavors all complement each other really well. I love serving it in a 9×13 dish so everyone can get a big ol scoop, but you can dress it up and serve it in a parfait bowl or a pretty serving dish.
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This cold pasta salad with ham and peas is my go-to salad for potlucks, backyard cookouts, and anytime I need a simple, no-fuss pasta salad that I know everyone will love. It’s loaded with ham and peas, creamy, and so pretty when served in a clear glass dish.
Why I love this recipe
- It’s such a pretty layered salad, with chopped lettuce on the bottom and layers of tasty ingredients. After tossing it all together, you get a bit of everything in each scoop!
- You can prep this salad ahead of time—in fact, it tastes better after sitting for a bit, so I recommend making it at least 4 hours ahead of time.
- Everyone loves it, and it’s easy to double if I need to feed a crowd.
Gather these ingredients
- Romaine lettuce – You need 3 cups chopped lettuce, that’s about 1 head.
- Macaroni pasta – 3 cups cooked, drained, and cooled pasta.
- Red bell pepper – Diced.
- Red onion – Finely diced.
- Green peas – Use frozen green peas and thaw them.
- Celery – Chopped.
- Ham – Diced. This is a great use of leftover ham.
- Sharp cheddar cheese – Shredded.
- Basil – Fresh basil, chopped.
- Mayonnaise – Low or regular-fat mayo is fine.
- Sour cream – Low or regular-fat sour cream is fine.
- White wine vinegar – You can use regular white vinegar if that’s all you have.
- Sugar
- Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper
How to make Ham & Peas Pasta Salad
- Add the chopped lettuce in a layer in the bottom of a trifle bowl or glass dish.
- Top the lettuce with the cooked and cooled pasta, then the red pepper, red onion, peas, celery, ham, olives, and cheese.
- Sprinkle the chopped basil over the top.
- Combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, sugar, Dijon mustard, and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Mix well.
- Pour the dressing over the top of the salad, then cover it tightly with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until thoroughly chilled.
- Toss before serving, and enjoy!
Tips & substitutions
- Cook the macaroni pasta the day before to save prep time.
- Don’t toss the salad until you’re ready to serve it because the dressing because the lettuce will start to wilt.
- This salad is a great use of leftover ham but you can also just buy a chunk from the deli. Ask them for a thick-cut slice of black forest ham and then dice it at home.
Serving suggestions
I love this pasta salad with anything grilled. It’s a tasty chilled complement to dishes like Chicken & Bacon Kebabs or pulled pork sliders. It’s a tasty salad any time of the year, and I have served it with sandwiches, quesadillas, and more.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a day.
Check out these awesome pasta salad recipes while you’re here
Get the Recipe:
Ham & Peas Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Dressing:
- ½ cup mayo
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Layered Salad:
- 3 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 3 cups macaroni pasta, cooked and drained
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced
- ½ cup red onion, finely diced
- ¾ cup frozen green peas, thawed
- ⅓ cup chopped celery
- 1 ½ cups diced ham
- ½ cup black olives, drained and sliced
- ¾ cup shredded Sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together mayo, sour cream, vinegar, sugar, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.
- Start layering the ingredients in a trifle bowl or glass dish with lettuce on the bottom, then add the macaroni pasta. Next add the red pepper, red onion, peas, celery, ham, olives, and cheese. Sprinkle with fresh chopped basil, and pour the dressing on top.
- Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until chilled.
- Toss right before serving and Enjoy!
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
I put a garlic parmesan cream sauce… warm actually it can be chilled though but everything else I did the same as your recipe and it was wonderful and I’m enjoying it every bite of it